Food for Thought: 2012 supermarket trends

Weekly Food for Thought with 2012 food trends, a recipe for Southwestern Beef Casserole and more.

In partnership with ConAgra Foods, industry expert and "supermarket guru," Phil Lempert, predicts an interesting year for 2012. Lempert says to watch for 10 major trends in supermarkets this year:

1. Higher food prices. Last year's trend will continue, so consumers will place even more emphasis on ways to save money, like using coupons, frequent shopper cards and apps.

2. The group experience will grow. From food blogs to food trucks, more Americans are choosing to eat and shop together in new ways. Mobile app marketers will offer "social rewards" for groups that shop together –– think of it as the virtual version of warehouse clubs.

3. The baby boomer influence will grow. Last year, the first of the 76 million-strong boomer generation turned 65. Their influence on the supermarket will show up this year in increased healthful food options, wider aisles and lower shelves.

4. Increased emphasis on "farm to fork." More Americans are interested in knowing where the food comes from. In 2012, you'll see more blogs, social media and TV featuring farmers as food experts.

5. The end of the checkout lane. Tech-savvy options are gaining popularity, with consumers enjoying self-checkouts and taking advantage of the convenience of cellphone scanners, in-store interactive media devices, QR codes, RFID and mobile coupons.

-- ARA

Tip of the Week: Cutting calories in a burrito

A burrito can contain more than 1,100 calories and more than 40 grams of fat, if you add the cheese, sour cream and guacamole, which are all high in fat. Cut the calories of your burrito by ditching the tortilla, saving you around 290 calories, and substituting vegetables for rice. Then choose just one topping instead of all three.

When microwave defrosting beef, plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook in the microwave. – FoodSafety.gov

Food Quiz

What exactly do we mean by clotted cream?

A. It is cream whipped with softened butter.

B. It is cream that comes from cows with a low IQ.

C. It is made by heating unpasteurized cow's milk.

D. It is cream that is over whipped until lumpy.

-- Funtrivia.com

Answer is at bottom of column

Wise to the Word: Havarti cheese

[hah-VAHR-tee] Named after the Danish experimental farm where it was developed, Havarti is often referred to as the Danish Tilsit cheese because of its similarity to that cheese. It's semi-soft and pale yellow with small irregular holes. The flavor of young Havarti is mild yet tangy. As the cheese ages, its flavor intensifies and sharpens. Havarti comes in loaves or blocks and is often wrapped in foil.

-- epicurious.com

Number to Know

450: A 10-piece order of Chicken Nuggets with no sauce at Wendy’s is 450 calories.

-- calorieking.com

The Dish On …

"Momofuku Milk Bar" by Christina Tosi

The highly anticipated complement to the New York Times bestselling Momofuku cookbook, this book reveals the recipes for the innovative and addictive cookies, pies, cakes, ice creams and more from the wildly popular bakery.

It all started one day when Momofuku founder David Chang asked Christina to make a dessert for dinner that night. Just like that, the pastry program at Momofuku began, and Christina’s playful desserts helped the restaurants earn praise from the New York Times and led to the opening of Milk Bar, which now draws fans from around the country and the world.

-- Crown Publishing Group

From the Beer Nut’s Blog:

My prediction is The Bruery from California will be the hot brewery of 2012. The reason: It is releasing some of its barrel-aged beers in national distribution for the first time.

The beers include Oude Tart, a tart Flemish-style red ale aged in red wine barrels; Melange No. 3, a blend of three bourbon barrel-aged strong ales that comes in at a huge 15.5 percent ABV; and White Oak, which is a blend of wheat wine aged in bourbon barrels. Other Bruery beers will be Smoking Wood, a porter made with beachwood and cherrywood smoked malt aged in rye whiskey barrels, and Tart of Darkness, a tart stout.

To read more from the Beer Nut, visit http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/beernut/.

Food Quiz Answer

C. It is made by heating unpasteurized cow's milk.

GateHouse News Service

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